Support for picture or other frames



(No Model.) I 2 Sheets-Shet 1. S. E. OONDON.

SUPPORT FOR PICTURE OR OTHER FRAMES. No. 480,377.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

S. E. GONDON. SUPPORT FOR PICTURE OR OTHER FRAMES. No. 430,377. Patented June 17, 1890.

WITNES s: NTOR' flfifiw gamut /ITTY.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL E. OONDON, OF BROOKLYN, NEWV YORK.

SUPPORT FOR F lCTURE OR OTHER FRAMES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 430,377, dated June 17, 1890.

Application filed January 23, 1890. Serial No. 337,856. (No model.)

To all whont it may concern.-

Be it known that I, SAMUEL E. CONDON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, haveinvent-ed certain new and useful Improvements in Supports for Picture or other Frames, of which the following is a specification.

My invention consists in a supporting brace or bracket for offsetting or relieving the frame of a picture, a mirror, a plaque, or other suspended object from the wall adjacent to it, so as to prevent any portion of said picture or object from abrading or discoloring the surface of the wall.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a picture, showing the improved support attached to the frame; Figs. 2, 3, and 4, detail views of the support, enlarged, representing the same in side elevation, front elevation, and in cross-section at a: as, respectively; Fig. 5, an enlarged perspective View looking at the back of a portion of the frame, showing a modification; Fig. 6, a similar View of a further modification of the bracket, shown separately; Fig. 7, a perspective view of a picture, showing a different manner of locating the brackets thereon from that shown in Fig. 1; and Figs. 8 and 9, perspective and sectional views of the bracket in Fig. 7.

The bracket or support A, composed of metal or any other suitable material, is secured to the back of the frame B, by screws or otherwise, at or near its lower portion, projecting rearward sufficiently to prevent the frame from touching the wall at any part, the frame being indicated as hung at the usual inclination. The bracket A may, however, be applied at any part of the frame other than the lower portionfor instance, as shown in Fig. 7.

In the illustration Fig. 1 the frame is suspended from points C O slightly above its center of gravity, and the bracket is utilized as a convenient means of attaching the suspending cord or wire a, the upper ends of the brackets A A having return bends or hooks 1) formed on them, to which the cord is attached, passing thence through eye-screws O O at the proper points to give the picture a suitable angle.

Moreover, I have illustrated as a part of my invention the feature of providing adjustable cord-clamps c in connection with the hook 1), whereby the loops of the cord upon the hooks may be readily lengthened or shortened to raise or lower the picture without unfastening the cord, as usually required.

The elementary features of the bracket consist in a flat portion or shank d, by which the bracket is secured and made rigid with the surface of the frame, a rearward curved or offset portion 6, by which the foot of the bracket is projected from the plane of the frame, and a bearing surface or footsuch as f or f, Fig. G-which rests on the wall.

The bearing surface or foot f may be faced with a cushion of felt or other material 9, Figs. 2 and 6, and this is fastened in place by any suitable means, such as spurs h, stamped out of the metal and bent and compressed upon the ends of the piece of felt, so as to clamp the same in place.

The foot f of the bracket, as represented in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, is extended by a recurved portion Z, bearing an ornamental escutcheon v of any suitable design. In this instance the bracket is placed so as to project below the margin of the frame, exposing the ornament. Otherwise, as in Figs. 5 or 7, the bracket is located above the margin of the frame, so as to wholly conceal it. In Fig. 7 the brackets are placed near the middle of the height of frame, the hook part being slightly above the center of gravity and the foot part below the same, so that the frame when hung receives the proper inclination, having no other 0011- tact with the wall than by the brackets. In this adaptation the shank d of the bracket may be elongated, as in Fig. 8. I also show in Figs. 8 and 9 (the latter being a vertical section on the line x as) the feature of fastening the bracket by a single screw 3, the spurs 25, being impressed into the wood, preventing displacement from a vertical line.

The rearward curved portion 6 of the bracket in Figs. 2, 8, and 4 is stiffened by a rib j impressed in its surface from the sheet metal of which it is composed.

In Fig. 6 the footof the bracketis composed of parts f f the latter forming an extension of the bearing-surface. In this figure I also illustrate a spur k, by means of which the bracket may be conveniently fastened to the frame in the absence of screws, the point or upturned edge n of the spur being driven into the bottom of the frame, bending the surface k at the same time into alignment with the surface 70', the flat portion (1 bearing against the back of the frame.

The merits of the invention consist in affording free access for removing dust from the back of a picture and the wall opposite it, also in admitting and equalizing the light to a great extent upon all parts of a Wall which may be covered with discolorable material, and also in relieving the picture from the Wall background, promoting its artistic effect.

\Vhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination, in a bracket or brace for Wall furnishings, of a flat portion or shank, whereby it is secured to a suspended object, an offset portion, a foot for contact upon the wall terminating the offset portion, and a facing of felt or other material upon the bearing-surface of the foot.

2. The article of manufacture, consisting of a bracket or brace for wall furnishings, com= posed of sheet metal, having a flat portion whereby it is secured to a suspended object, and a rearward curved portion for contact upon a wall, provided with a central longitudinal stiffening-rib, as described.

3. The combination, with a suspended frame or other similar wall furnishing, of a bracket, substantially as shown, secured to its back, the lower end of said bracket projected rear- Wardly to separate the frame from the wall, and the upper end thereof bearing a projecting hook adjacent to the surface of the frame.

4:. The combination, with a suspended frame or other similar wall furnishing, of a bracket or brace having a rearward curved portion, a bearing-surface to separate the frame from the Wall, and a recurved portion of ornamental character projecting below the bottom of the frame.

SAMUEL E. CONDON. \Vitncsses:

H. F. PARKER,

OHAs. IIANIMANN. 

